Pig Tail and sausage pelau

Now this dish may sound daunting for single parents, which is why I recommend you try it only when you have the time, like the weekend or a day off. It's not that it takes long to cook, it is just that if you're doing it for the first time, it takes a bit of time to prep.
First of all, what is pelau? It is a traditional dish from Trinidad and Tobago, a one-pot "cook-up rice" delicacy that is sure to find favour with the fussiest of eaters. The mere preparation of it will explain that, because it contains rice, peas and meat all cooked together, which blends all of the flavors in the

most delicious way possible.
The typical meat used in pelau is chicken or beef. But as I am about to show, you can use any meat you like. The preparation and cooking time remains the same.
I chose salted pig tails for mine, because the salted meat adds flavor to the pot. I suppose this is true of any salted meat (e.g. beef) but I will not recommend salted fish -- until I try it first myself.
I bought four or five salted pig tails at the supermarket and got its meat department to cut them into 1/2 inch pieces for me. I recommend you do this, as the tails are very difficult to cut at home. I also bought a package of Italian sausages, which had about 5. At home, I put the pig tails to boil in a pot of water, drained it and boiled it a second time to get rid of some of the salt. If you don't do this, the food will be way too salty. Once this is done, season it while hot with whatever seasonings you have at home. Do not add salt. In a large iron pot, put some oil and bring to hot. Add about three tablespoons of brown sugar (white will work) to the oil and let it bubble to the point of almost changing color. Don't let it burn. Once the sugar starts to bubble, add the pig pails into the pot and turn rapidly to coat all of the tails. This process is called "browning" the meat (same process to be used whatever meat you're using). Lower the stove to medium and allow to cook. As the moisture in the pot dries up, add some water. Keep cooking for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, cut the sausages into bit sized pieces and keep on hand. After about 15 minutes, you'll notice the pig tails turn a nice brown color. At this stage, add the sausages and mix together. After about 5 minutes, add your rice (1 - 2 cups) and cover the ingredients in the pot with water. Cover pot and leave to boil, turning frequently. About 5 minutes in, add a can of pigeon peas and half can of coconut milk (coconut milk, eh, not water) or two tablespoons of creamed coconut. Check concoction frequently, add water as necessary and within 45 minutes or less you'll see the rice started to boil, thickening the contents of the pot. Check the rice, if soft, turn of stove and remove pot from burner. Cover for about five minutes, then serve while hot. Usually best with a nice cole slaw. Now this may all sound difficult, buth the truth is, if you can stew meat, you can make pelau. So don't be daunted, and you'll treat yourself and your little ones to a delicious, home-cooked dinner.

Photo credit: www.simplytrinicooking.com

Fish sticks and potato salad a favourite

I mentioned recently on Facebook that I made small red potato salad and fish sticks for Tuesday's dinner, and it seemed to generate some interest.
I try to use fish at least once a week, because it is healthy for children to eat fish. But as most parents would know, getting a child to eat fish is no walk in the park. Also, buying, cleaning and preparing fresh fish is not a job for the fainthearted.
Your options, then, are to buy filets that have been cleaned and are ready to cook, or fish slices which isn't a good idea when you have little ones because of the bones. I choose, as another option, the prepared fish stick and fish filets from brands like Captain Highligner, which are tasty and easy to cook. I get up to 60 fish sticks, or usually around 6 - 8 filets, in a box. The other advantage is that these are pre-seasoned with butter, herbs, lime or lemon and other flavours, so you don't have to serve the same taste each week.

These prepared fish offerings are easy to cook -- basically, stick them in the oven at 400 F for 20 minutes and you're done (don't forget to turn once halfway). They should also be cooked from frozen, which means you don't have a hassle on your hands when you get home from work and realise you forgot to thaw out something from the freezer to prepare for that night's meal. The fish is also easy to serve -- no bones to worry about, and it's always tender and easy to chew and digest, which make it a favourite with my little one. The pre-seasoned flavour, too, makes it far more palatable to him.
To be honest, I was very surprised the first time I tried him with fish to see him eat it with such gusto. This is because as a child, I disliked fish intensely, usually because of the bones, and a lot of my dislike had to do with the smell. My mom tried everything to fix this, even serving filets, but my mind had turned against fish, and I was well into my 20's before I got up enough courage to try it again at a restaurant, and discovered I actually enjoyed it. To be honest, fresh fish is something I will still not buy and cook. So for me, too, the Capt Highligner offerings are far more palatable and by cooking it for him, I also get fish in my own diet.
Quite often, the problem with serving fish is finding a decent side. I try to stay away from fries, except the type that I can bake (I don't like to give my son fried foods) but often it's good to mix it up by serving fish and something else. That's where the problem comes in. Because the fish has no gravy or sauce, rice is not a good option, unless it's a vegetable rice. Potato salad is good, as is mashed potato or scalloped potato.
When I am making potato salad, I buy the small potatoes, preferably the red ones because they look appealing on the plate. I leave the skins on, wash them properly and boil them -- not too soft, because you'd end up with an unexpected mash. I cut them in half and put them in a bowl with olive oil, mayonnaise, finely chopped cilantro and whatever else might be in the cupboard -- a can of peaches and cream corn, or peas and carrots. The end result is a delicious moist side that compliments the fish perfectly. And in terms of diet, he's getting his veggies in there.
All in all, it's a healthy meal. Cost for the entire meal for 2 -- around $8. Preparation and cooking time -- 30 minutes tops. Healthy and affordable, and he likes it ... what more can you ask for?

Just a note -- the photo included is not of my actual dinner. I don't get so fancy. The photo is courtesy lovefish.gr

My apologies to those who read the last post -- the pasta of choice is Barilla, not whatever crazy Italian sounding name I came up with. SMH.

Eating worms?

If you read the first post, you'd remember that Friday nights are pizza nights for us. Today, however, is a variation on the routine, since he already had pizza once for the week. So today, after a frustrating day of dealing with insurance companies, buying another car and going for physio (all the result of a car accident three weeks ago), I couldn't wait to get home and kick back. Alas, if you're a single parent, you will know there's no such thing as "kicking back." I could've taken the easy way out and go for pizza, but my conscience kicked in. So, I looked in the freezer and found some meatballs (leftover from a box I bought 3 weeks ago, for $6.99 for 40) and that inspired tonight's menu --an easy favourite.

With kids, you cannot go wrong with spaghetti and meat balls. It's a combination of taste and gross factor ("look, Dad, we're eating worms!") that makes it so appealing. So that's tonight's menu, easy enough to make and still provide you with the "kicking back" time a Friday deserves. It involves, however, something I dislike, which is watching a boiling pot on the stove, but because spaghetti takes like 5 minutes to cook, it's no big deal.

First, put the meat balls (Italian style, or any flavor you choose) in an oiled, oven friendly dish, and cook at 375 F for about 15 - 20 minutes, turning once half way. In the meantime, put the spaghetti to boil (I use Bertonelli, .99 per pack, as it always cooks al dente) and in another pan put the sauce (I use Ragu original, on sale at .99) to simmer. Add what you wish to the sauce to enhance the flavor -- I usually throw in a bit of garlic, it's up to what the little one will tolerate -- and when it starts to sputter on the stove top, run like hell. No, joke aside, lower it to the lowest point on the stove (1 or 2, depends on your appliance) and stir regularly so it doesn't stick.When the meatballs are done, add them while hot straight from the oven to the sauce. By then you would have hopefully drained the pasta and have it sitting. Since the meat balls are already cooked, just leave the sauce pot on the stove long enough for the meat to absorb some of the flavor, and then serve. You can mix the spaghetti in with the sauce, or use my preferred method, which is plate the spaghetti and then pour the sauce and meatballs over it.

Easy enough -- takes less than half hour from start to finish, and your little one will definitely enjoy. And dinner for 2 for way less than $10. Then kick back with a beer and enjoy your Friday, knowing the little one is well fed for the night.

Stuffed chicken breasts a hit

Which child doesn't like a tasty meal? Truth is, most picky eaters don't really care what's in front of them. If they want to be fussy, they will be. A trick I've learned in the last year is including my little one in the preparation of the meal. If they help prepare it, they are more inclined to eat it. It also gives you a bargaining tool -- "you're not going to eat this? But you helped cook it."

Another of my secrets is buying food that is already somewhat prepared. It saves on prepping time, especially as time is a luxury when you're a working single Father, and quite often what's on offer at the grocery is reasonably priced and healthy.

Most nights, I get dinner done in half-hour. The most important tool in my kitchen is the oven. I do not have the time nor patience to watch over boiling pots, so I try to choose dinners that I can easily stick in the oven on a timer, which gives me time to do other stuff, like clean up after a six year-old.

In this blog, as I promised, I try to get the best value for money when buying food. Most of us are on a limited budget, and take-out every day is not a real option. We do take-out maybe once or twice a week, and that consists of the usual suspects -- pizza and KFC and/or Popeye's. I designated Friday nights as pizza night, which allows me some "me" time at the start of a weekend when I can relax with a few beers and some music. Tuesday nights are usually chicken nights. Why Tuesday? Because on Mondays, I might likely have left-overs from Sunday dinner, and on Wednesdays I work late and he eats by his aunt, who babysits him on those days. Thursdays I normally have the time to prepare a nice homemade dinner.

One of my favourite meals consists of stuffed chicken breasts with a side, usually either Sidekicks pasta or scalloped potatoes. I get the boxed chicken breasts, already stuffed (he likes the ones stuffed with garlic butter) -- 2 in a box for around $2 on sale. When they do go on sale, I buy a few boxes and keep them in the freezer. The normal price is under $5. The Sidekicks I buy on sale for 99 cents, and the boxed scalloped potatoes come in at around the same price. So for under $5 and a little time, I have dinner for two, and it's a dinner he enjoys. The chicken goes into the oven at 400 F for around 20 - 30 minutes, and if I am using the potatoes as a side, that goes into the oven, too. It takes about 5 minutes prep time for the potatoes, and you need milk and butter, which, if you have a young child, you should have in the fridge anyway. The pasta is done on the stove top, and requires a little watching. It's usually done in 10 minutes and I get him to help.

When I serve this, I have no problem getting him to eat. He loves the creamy Alfredo pasta, and he really enjoys the chicken breasts, as the garlic gives it a nice tangy flavour. Even better, when the breasts are cut on the plate, the butter on the inside flows onto the pasta, adding to the flavour.

You might be wondering -- where are the veggies? Well, I usually don't make a fuss about that, since we snack on raw veggies when he gets home from school. So he is getting his required servings, just not on the dinner plate. The reason? It is hard enough getting him to eat without crowding his plate with stuff he might balk at. The chicken and pasta servings look small, and he eats it with confidence, knowing he could clean his plate and please me. If I add veggies there, it leads to fussing and he might not eat all of the chicken and pasta.

That's my technique. Hey, you might not agree with it but it works for me. That's why I started this blog, to give ideas to other Dads who are not quite at home in the kitchen. You don't always have to follow the rules. You can make them up as you go along, once the end result is a well-fed child.

Stay tuned to this blog for more cost-effective ways to feed your child in a simple and healthy way. As I cook and experiment with new stuff, I will share them with you.